The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-26
vAnosRB,Lr.s NEW YACHT.
EsscvspSsn OF the Queen OF ths
Pleasure Navy.

The Alva, William X. Vanderbllt's
new steel steam yacht will be deliver
Cd 10 her owner In New York to-mor-
row, writes Wilmington. (Del.) cor
respondent of The NeD York Times.
under date Of Feb. ,. Three hundred
workmen have been swarming over the
vessel to-day clearing and cleaning the
boat in readiness for her departure,
She will sail from here at 8 o'clock to-
morrow morning. and il is expected
will reach Now York early in the even
ing. A number of New York and sew
sral English yachtsmen have inspected
the Alvn during the past few days and
all pronounce her by odds the hand
soonest and most magniiicently ap-
pointed pleasure craft ailoat. Her
builders have had carte blanche in the
matter OF construction, and were in
slructod 70 eclipse any previous at
tempts ut marine construction in the
world, regardless of expense. In as
far MS workmanship goes, she is a
mechanical beauty. The Alva is 2Sj
feet over all and 252 feet at load-line,
80 feet inches beam. and 81 feet
g inches in depth. She will draw
II feet of water when in cargo
The huh Of the Alva is built of
the finest quality, low grade, open
hearth, mild steel, and is given the
highest classification in Lloyds: She
Is schooner rugged, with three masts,
square forward, having three yards on
her foremost and three jibs. Her rig
ging is jauntily rakish, and with sail
set she is u sight which delights the
ayes Of all who have bchcld her in her
suit Of white. Electric lamps. supplied
by dynamo in the engine-room, are
profusely placed aboard the boat and
illuminate her as bright rs day. At
peak she carries a powerful halfcrn
Aght that penctrates the darkness with
Rs rays to distance of eight miles
The propelling force is furnished by
three-eylindcr oompound-direct acting
engine, with r high-pressure cylinder
Of thirty-two inches and two low-pres-
sure cylinders of forty-five inches, all
having forty-two inch stroke. Her
boilers, two in number. are eleven feet
long aud seventeen feet in diameter,
and have withstood pressure of two
hundred pounds to the square inch.
The propeller wheel is a thing of ex-
qnisite beauty in the eyes of ship-build-
ers. II is cold piece Of manganese
bronze. weighing five tons. and abso.
, lptely fawless. Her dining saloon is
paneled in soft wood, with white
enamel and gold, and is eighteen feet
in length.
The owners private quarters consist
of nine apartments, besides nursery,
aud are finished in white an gold, each
supplied with different variety Of
hardwood furniture. In the floor OF
each room there is bath-tub. with
secret cover. supplied with hot and cold
water, which may be taken either from
the sea or fresh-water tanks. The
library lie sixteen by eighteen feet and
is paneled in French walnut. There are
also seven large state-rooms. all finish.
ed in white and gold and provided with
bath-tubs for the use of guests. The
Alva is undoubtedly tho queen of the
pleasure navy of the world, and in
point Of magniicence and luxurious.
ness Of appointments nothing has ever
approached her. While built for sea
:vrviee her speed has not been lost
slEht of, and she will cut the pillows at
i5-knot gait constantly without a
strain. She is provided with four water.
tight bulkhead compartments, and an
equipment of safety appliances which
will challenge disaster.
The Alva will make a trial trip to the
the Bermuda islands, where Mr.. Van
derbilt owns large estate, after which
h the millionaire owner and his family,
il is said. will make an extended trip
around the globe. occupying four or
five years. The Alva will be COM
manded by Capt. Morrison, formerly
master of the American line steamer
Ohio. J. L. Cushing will act as chief
officer, and James Hand. formerly
special United States inspector Of steam
vessels, as chief engineer.
The Ruling Passion.